Faith the Size of a Mustard Seed

There are days when life feels overwhelming. Challenges come in waves—health struggles, financial burdens, or worries for family and community. In Luke 17, the disciples have one of those moments. They ask Jesus for more faith. It’s a request that feels very familiar, because we, too, often long for a deeper, stronger faith to help us through.

Jesus responds with surprising words: “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” (Luke 17:6, NRSVUE). He isn’t dismissing their request; instead, He is teaching them that faith is not about quantity. Even the smallest seed of faith carries extraordinary potential, not because of us, but because of the God who makes things possible.

Jesus then tells a brief parable about servants doing their duty. It can sound harsh at first, but the message is clear: faith is not something we build up as an achievement. Rather, it is lived out in daily obedience—serving, loving, and trusting God in ordinary moments. Just as a servant carries out the tasks of the household, disciples live out faith by practicing forgiveness, showing compassion, and serving others without expecting praise.

What does this mean for us today? It means that we don’t need to wait for “big faith” to act. The smallest step—offering a prayer, showing kindness, helping a neighbor—is faith in action. God takes those small acts and works through them in ways we can’t always see.

Perhaps you feel like your faith is fragile or small right now. That’s okay. Jesus assures us that even a mustard seed of faith is enough. The key is not how much faith we think we have, but who our faith is in. Our faith rests in a God who can move mountains, heal hearts, and bring hope in the darkest places.

So let us not be discouraged by the size of our faith. Instead, let’s lean into the One who makes all things possible, trusting that our everyday obedience—our prayers, our service, our love—are seeds that God will grow into something greater.

For Further Exploration:

• The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary, Volume IX (Abingdon Press, 1995).

• Wesley, John. Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament. (Epworth Press, 1952 reprint).

• Green, Joel B. The Gospel of Luke. The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Eerdmans, 1997).

• Evans, Tony. The Tony Evans Bible Commentary. (Holman, 2019).